How Big Should Your Kiger Mustang Be
The Kiger Mustang range from 14 hands to upwards of 16 hands.
But the real criteria for your horse should be you.
Let’s face it, its pretty tough for an 800 pound horse to comfortably pack a 200
pound man and a 40 pound saddle. That load is more than 30% of the horse’s
own body weight. In my opinion, that’s too much. It would be better for the horse if he were carrying a load that was more in proportion to his size. I feel that’s 25% of a horses own body weight.
I want a horse that’s strong enough to carry me without undo stress and yet not so big that he is a moose for me to handle.
If we have a Kiger Mustang that is in the lower ranges say 14 hands to 14.2 hands I would expect him to weight in around 800 pounds. That equates to a 160-pound rider and a forty-pound saddle or less.
I would think a Kiger 14.2 hands to 15 hands would weight in somewhere nearer a 1000 pounds; That’s a 210-pounds of rider and a forty-pound saddle.
15.1 hands to 16 hands Kiger would tip the scales around 1100 pounds maybe more and could handle a 250-pound rider and a forty-pound saddle.
If we’re over 250 pounds hit the skids first, drop a few pounds, then saddle up. Our balance if off when we carry that much weight. Stitching breaks, cinches loosen up, and we hit the dirt and it’s not my butt striking a packed trail that hurts it the 250 plus pounds that come thundering after. Riding is suppose to be fun not bone crushing.
Beijing Olympics
My daughter is in China now with plans to attend the Olympics. Here are some pictures of the horse facilities China has prepared. The equestrian games will begin Aug 9th and are being held in Hong Kong.
